Gas Snapshot: Optimism Cheapest, Polygon Most Expensive

A comprehensive snapshot of current transaction costs across the major blockchain networks tracked by CryptoRanks has been released, revealing a wide disparity in gas fees as of 01:04 UTC on June 6, 2026. The data, measured directly on-chain, shows that while some networks offer extremely low costs, others are experiencing significantly higher fees relative to their historical ranges. This analysis details the specific gwei rates for each network and contextualizes them against their 24-hour trading ranges.

The Current Landscape

The most striking finding in this snapshot is the extreme difference between the cheapest and most expensive networks. Optimism stands out as the most economical option for users, recording a gas price of just 0.001 gwei. In stark contrast, Polygon recorded the highest fee in the entire dataset at 274.4685 gwei. This massive gap illustrates how network congestion and token economics can vary wildly even among chains that often compete for similar user bases.

Network-by-Network Breakdown

Beyond the extremes, the mid-tier networks show varying levels of activity and cost efficiency. Arbitrum recorded a fee of 0.02 gwei, which is currently considered cheap compared to its 24-hour range. Base followed closely with a rate of 0.006 gwei, also noted as cheap relative to its recent history but showing an upward trend in costs. Ethereum mainnet sits at 0.182 gwei, currently cheap versus its 24-hour range, though the trend indicates prices are moving up. BNB Chain recorded a fee of 0.1 gwei. These figures represent the native gas tokens for each respective chain, providing a direct comparison of the cost to execute a standard transaction.

• Optimism: 0.001 gwei (Cheapest)
• Base: 0.006 gwei (Trend Up)
• Arbitrum: 0.02 gwei (Cheap)
• BNB Chain: 0.1 gwei
• Ethereum: 0.182 gwei (Trend Up)
• Polygon: 274.4685 gwei (Most Expensive)

Contextualizing the Data

Understanding these numbers requires looking at the 24-hour context provided by the on-chain measurement. For instance, while Ethereum and Base are currently cheap relative to their 24-hour ranges, their specific trends indicate upward pressure on fees. Polygon, despite having the highest absolute cost in this snapshot, is currently operating within a normal range relative to its own 24-hour history. This suggests that the high fee on Polygon is not necessarily an anomaly but rather a reflection of current network demand or token burn mechanics specific to that moment in time. Users looking to minimize costs should consider these real-time snapshots, as the gap between the cheapest and most expensive chains can fluctuate rapidly based on network load.